Added to inquiry!
DOCUMENTARY

New Life Blossoms in an Old Village:
Seven Years of Struggle and Hope

DOCUMENTARY 2013 48 mins Episode(s): 1 English English
The aging of Japan's population is steadily hollowing out the country's agriculture.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, a struggling farming community in Ishikawa Prefecture called Sugaike began trying to attract young residents. Hiroyuki Yago is one of the people who came. He moved from Osaka to Sugaike in order to grow organic vegetables, but there wasn't enough farmland available to rent and he has trouble making a living. Nevertheless, the locals have accepted Yago as one of their own, and he intends to stay. By 2012, there were three new families in Sugaike; abandoned land began to spring back to life, and a local dance festival that had not been held for 10 years was revived. Yago was there at the center of the dancing, cheered on by joyful longtime residents.

This program chronicles seven years in the life of a young man, who wanted to start a new life in the countryside by joining a community that is trying to adapt to the consequences of Japan's aging, shrinking population.

  •  

    On-Chan Season 2
    2010

    Shanghai TV Festival International Animation Nominated, 2008 New York Festival Finalist, 2009 Banff World TV Festival Nominated, 2009 On-chan is an educational animation program for young children. The episodes are filled with laughter and lessons for young viewers as well as a variety of very loveable characters. See how On-chan...
    more details
  •  

    Amezaiku (sugar sculpture) -A young artist blowing new life into tradition-
    2015 30 mins

    [Craft Masters of Japan] Asakusa District in Tokyo is a popular tourist destination. Here in this vibrant area lies the best candy shop in Japan. Shinri Tezuka is a young candy maker working in this shop, and his masterful creations are so delicate and beautiful that they are almost too...
    more details
  •  

    Mikoji -Jisa, Anesa, and a 19-year-old Spring-
    2018 30 mins

    [Festivals of Japan Season 2] The "Mikoji Dance" is a 150-year-old dance performed during the Taromaru Shuuraku Spring Festival in Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture. In this dance, the sitting doll of an old man and the standing doll of a young woman comically dance to the accompaniment of vibrant drums,...
    more details
  •  

    Charmed by the Kindness of the Community - Izumo, Shimane Prefecture
    2019 30 mins

    [Beauty of Japan Season 2] Michelle married a Japanese man and moved to a beautiful nature-filled mountain village in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture. She believes that the true “beauty of Japan” lies in the kindness displayed by the people of her local community. We follow Michelle’s life within the village as...
    more details